Former One Direction singer Liam Payne's cause of death has been confirmed at a UK inquest.
The X Factor star, 31, fatally plunged from the third floor of the Casa Sur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16. A post-mortem examination found the star had died of multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding. Officials ruled out suicide and believe the singer was likely in a state of "semi or total unconsciousness" at the time of his fall.
Now, Liam's medical cause of death has been confirmed by Dr Roberto Victor Cohen at a UK inquest as 'polytrauma', a term used to describe multiple injuries that affect multiple organ systems. Polytrauma injuries can occur as a result of severe accidents, such as falls, car crashes or combat-related incidents, and can cause injuries to various body parts.
The hearing also heard Liam's body was formally identified "with the assistance of the funeral directors in Buckinghamshire". Senior Coroner Crispin Butler said during the hearing: "Whilst there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam's death, over which I have no legal jurisdiction, it is anticipated that procuring the relevant information to address particularly how Liam came by his death may take some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office."
Five people have been charged over Liam's death, including the hotel's manager, a receptionist and a close friend, who have been charged with manslaughter. Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office previously said in a statement. They are reported to be hotel manager Gilda Martin, receptionist Esteban Grassi and Liam's friend Roger Nores. Two others, hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz, have been charged with supplying cocaine.
Mr Nores has vehemently denied claims that he abandoned his friend before he plunged from his balcony after reports he was acting 'erratically' in the hotel lobby. Speaking in a TMZ documentary investigating Liam's death and final hours that aired earlier this month, Mr Nores said his friend was 'in good spirits and perfectly balanced' the day he died.
In a statement prior to the documentary's release, he said: "I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened. There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen."
Mr Grassi previously claimed Liam called down to the hotel reception 'insistently' to ask for alcohol and asked where he could get cocaine, then allegedly insulted a member of staff who said he could not help. Mr Paiz told local television in an interview: "I never took drugs to [Liam] or accepted any money." It has been reported Mr Pereyra is the hotel worker suspected of delivering drugs to Liam in a Dove soap box. He has not commented publicly since being placed under investigation.
Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
English (US) ·